Gas generator and burner



Feb 12 192 1.,

S. BIDDISON GAS GENERATOR AND BURNER Filed April 29. 1920 4 Sheets-Sheet1 A Y. m M M Mm mw%A 5 E 5 Feb. 12 1924.

1,483,709 5. BIDDISON GAS GENERATOR ANDBURNER 7 Filed April 29. 1920 4Sheets-Sheet z By his fllfa ney Feb, E2 192%, L483,?@@

5. ammscm GAS GENERATOR AND BURNER Filed April 29. 1920 4 Sheets-Sheet 3ii /-57 HI ll H Ii 1 '11 11 x Feb. 12; 1924.

s. BIDDISON GAS GENERATOR AND BURNER Filed April 29, 15520 4Sheets-Sheet 4 QSDOOOQ Fatented F eb. 12, 1924.

175 N l T E D S T T ES SAMUEL BIDDISON, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

GAS GENERATOR AND BURNER. 7

Application filed April 29, 1920. Serial No. 377,496.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL BmnIsoN, a citizen of the United States,residing in Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State ofCalifornia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in GasGenerators and Burners, of which the following is a specification.

.My invention relates to gas generators and burners; especially to gasgenerators and burners adapted to operate by vaporizing liquid fuel andsupplying gas for illuminating or heating purposes.

My primary ob ect is to provide a gas generator and burner which isexceedingly simple and inexpensive in construction; which will operateefliciently and economically, Without the formation of smoke, carbon orsoot; and in which almost any kind of liquid fuel can be successfullyutilized to serve the purpose for which my improvementis designed.

Another object of my invention is to provide a generator and burner inwhich the liquid fuel is vaporized by a suitable agent, the supplywhereof can be constantly maintained and efficiently regulated.

The above and other objects and advanta es of my invention will appearfrom the following description, taken together with the accompanyingdrawings; and be full pointed out in the appended claims. I wis to haveit understood, however, that the disclosure herein is illustrative only,and comprises merely some preferred embodiments of my invention; andthat the principle thereof may be practicedby means of otherconstructions not shown, but similar in effect. Otherwise stated,differences in the phrasing of the claims are intended to cover actualdifferences in structural details that I may find it advisable to adopt,within the scope and spirit of my inventionv as the claims express thesame. On said drawin s:

igure 1 is a side elevation of one form of my improved generator as Iprefer to construct the same; part thereof being in section;

Figure 2 is a side elevation, partly in section on the line 2 -2, inFigure 3,-of the same;

Figure?) is a transverse vertical section on the line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figures 4 and 5 are respectively a top plan and a transverse sectionshowing a Figure 9 is a view showing diagrammatb cally in side elevationthe manner of making the connections for supplying the gasmakingingredients to the device presented in Figure 6;

Figure 10 is a side elevation of a third form of my improved generator,partly in section,"

' Figure 11 is a top plan, partly in section, thereof; Y

Figure 12 is a transverse vertical section on the line 12-12 of Figure10;

Figures 13 and 14 are respectively a longitudinal section and atransverse section showing a modification of a detail in the gereratorillustrated in Figures 10 and 11; an

Figure 15 is a view showing on a reduced scale a spreader plate for mygenerator.

In theparticular description of the drawings the same characters ofreference are used to indicate the same parts throughout the severalviews.

The invention herein disclosed is of the same nature as the gasgenerator and burner described in my application Serial Number 30,000,filed May 24, 1915, allowed November 17; 1915, renewedNovember 17, 1919,Serial Number 338,523, and re-allowed De cember 5, 1919; and thisapplication is in the nature of a continuation of that application as toall subject matter that is common to the two.

In the construction illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 3 the bottom of thegenerator is in the form of a pan or tray 1, at one side of which issupported a boiler 2. This boiler is supplied with water fromanysuitable source under the control of an automatic Water feed device 3,hereinafter more fully described. Steam generated in this boiler will beconducted through passagesin pipes so as to mix with a quantity of or.casings oil supp ied from a vessel or tank l, through" a pipe or conduit5. The steam and the oil vapor are thoroughly mixed, the action of thesteam being to raise the oil to the va re 6 is a front view partly insection,

porizing point as it is delivered by the pipe 5, so as to transform theoil into a vapor; and this mixture of steam and vapor is afterwardssubjected to the action of sufficient heat to raise it to such atemperature as will cause the formation of a true or fixed permanent gasthat can be produced at very little cost and out of almost any kind ofliquid fuel in the manner herein set forth, andv made to serve a varietyof purposes. The gas thus produced is then led to a perforated pipe 27extending along the bottom of the tray 1 and having a suitable number(one or more) of'burners or jet holes'6. The gas is consumed at theseburners and the heat thereof continues the generation of the steam inthe boiler 2 and the vaporization of the oil from the pipe 5, andthereby maintains the generator and burner in operation. Part of thegas, if desired, can be conducted away through a pipe line to beutilized at any place where there is need of the same.

I supply water from the feed device 3 to the boiler 2 through a pipe 7which contains a valve casing 8. This casing has a check or non-returnvalve 9. The feed device encloses a float chamber which is supplied withwater from the source above referred to by means of a pipe 10 enteringthe chamber near the top, and having in the chamber a discharge nozzle11. In the chamber is a afloat valve 12 which may have a clamping ring13 on its upper face to secure on the top of the Valve 12 a piece ofwood or other elastic substance to close the nozzle 11 when pressedagainst same. It will be seen that thepipe 10 may be in constantcommunication with the source from which the water is furnished; and thechamber will be kept filled up to a substantially constant level.lVhenever-the water in'the chamber drops below this level, the float 12will sink and uncover the outlet of the nozzle 11 to allow the water toflow in; and as soon as the predetermined level is restored, thefloat.12

will rise and engage the outlet of the nozzle, closing the latter, andthus interrupt the inflow of water, in an automatic and certain manner.The valve 9 opens freely to allow water to flow into the boiler, andwill automatically shut to prevent any back or outflow from the boiler.Suitable pipe connections are provided to afford, a downwardly dispsedconstantly open by-pass 1 1, the function of which will be more fullyset forth presently. With this arrangement itis' only necessary toconnect water pipe or hydrant to the pipe 10,.to be sure of keeping boththefioat chamber and boiler always filled with water to the necessarydepth. h nen such a connection has once been made no further attentionto the matter of supplying water to my generator needbe giventhrough anentire Winter or other season without requiring any special care orwatching except to keep the oil'tank filled.

The pipe 7 enters one end of the boiler 2, near the bottom; the top ofthe boiler is united adjacent its opposite end to a casing 15. To makethe connection, the casing is shown as having an externally threadedhollow nipple 16 that screws into a hollow boss 17 on the boiler; butobviously a short length of piping between the casing and the boiler, orany other well known form of joint between the boiler and casing may beemployed if preferred. If desired there may be several verticalconnections arranged side by side, between the boiler and the easing 15.The casing 15 extends forward along the top of the boiler, andcommunicates at its front end with the front end of a casing 18. Thesetwo casings are connected at-their sides, being illustrated as joined inthe same way as the casing 15 and the boiler 2; and the casing 18 has alongitudinal partition 19, which divides the casing 18 into two parallelchambers or passages 20 and 21. The oil delivery pipe 5 is led into thechamber 20 through the opening 30 at the front end of the casing 18;hence steam from the boiler 2 and oil from the pipe 5 will mix in thechamber 20 and pass backward around the rear end of the partition 19,through the passage 19 (see Fig. 2) into the chamber 21, and thenforward. A similar casing 22 is provided, being mounted beside thecasing 18; the casing 22 communicatin through one side with one side ofthe casing 18 at the front of the generator in the same manner as thecasings 15 and 18. The casing 22 communicates through its opposite side,adjacent its front end, with the siderof another casing 23, at the frontend of same; and this casing communicates through its bottom, in front,with the top, near the front end, of a casing 24. This,casing 2 1 isconnected in "front through its bottom with the top, near the forwardend, of a casing 25, that is connected near its front end, on its innerside, with a short piece of pipe 26 leading to a pipe 27 which has theburner or jet openings 6. All the casings 18, 22, 23, 24 and 25 aresecured to one another at the front of the generator, and havepartitions 19 terminating short of their rear ends, and dividing theminside into chambers 20 and 21; and in operation the gas passes from thechamber 20 of the casing 18 into the chamber 21, and thence to each ofthe next four casings at the front end of the chamber 20, flowsrearward, then forward in the chamber 21 of each casing in turn till ithas traversed all the casings and reaches the connecting pipe 26 openinginto the pipe 27 and passes out through the jet openings 6 in saidpipe27 and is consumed thereat. Of course instead of casings mearoe boilsthe water in the boiler 2 and creates the steam necessary to theformation of the gas alon with the oil delivered by the pipe 5. The heatandsteam vaporize and difluse the oil as it enters the chamber 20 of thecasing 18, and the oil vapor and steam are thoroughly intermixed.Further, the heat given off at the burners 6 also raises the temperatureof the vaporous mixture in the casings 18, 22, 23, 24 and 25, and thesecasings serve as superheaters and in them the complete tranformation ofthe steam and oil vapor to a as is efi'ectually accom lished.

The oil de ivery pipe 5 is provide intermediate the oil tank orreservoir 4 and the casing 18, with a regulating valve whereby thesupply of oil may be proportioned to the amount of steam generated bythe boiler, it being found that the best results are obtained when thequantities of steam and oil vapor supplied to the superheater are in'theratio oi approximately 2 to 1.

Leading from the oil delivery pipe 5 between the tank i and theregulating valve 60, is a priming or starting pipe 5, discharging intothe pan 1, and controlled by a valve 5. To start the-generator, a smallquantity of oil is admitted through the pipe 5* to the pan 1, by openingthe valve 5 and is then ignited in said pan. At the same time, the valve60 in the plpe 5 is opened sli htly. The combustion'of the oil in thepan W1 1 vaporize the oil supplied by the pipe 5, and

cause the gas to issue from the burner openings 6 and to be ignited bythe burning oil in the pan. Thereafter, as the apparatus becomes heated,the valve 60- is further opened until the generator is in fulloperatron.

The purpose of the check valve 9 and bypass l l is to maintain a supplyof water for the boiler 2, and continue the teednt water thereinto.After the generator begins to operate and water starts vaporizing in theboiler 2, the pressure of the steam in the boiler will close the checkvalve 9 and hold it shut, thereby preventing the steam pressure in theboiler from torcin the water therefrom back through the pipe 7. Saidsteam pressure however, acting through the constantly open by-pass 14,will cause the water in the boiler to assume a level slightly lower thanthe level of the water in the float chamber in the tank 3, thedifierence depending upon the ressure in the boiler, and the level inthe cat chamber being predetermined by the adjustment or design of thefloat in accordance with the desired water level in the boiler. When.the water in the boiler falls below the predetermined point,

the excess hydrostatic head in the float chamber will cause water toflow therefrom, through the bypass, to the boiler, thereby maintainingthe boiler water level substantially constant. .By reason of thedownward disposition of the by-pass 14, it will be seen that a certainhydrostatic head is maintained therein, which is made sufiicient toprevent the water from being completely forced therefrom into the floatchamber due to the boiler pressure, which latter is at no time great byreason of the fact that the boiler is at all times in communication withthe atmosphere through the several casings and the burner openings.Should, however, the feed of Water through the bypass be interrupted, asby stoppage thereof or by the entraining or trapping of vapor thereinfrom any cause, permitting the water in the boiler to boil away, theconsequent drop in boiler pressure will permit the valve 9 to open,causing the boiler to be supplied with .water from the float chamberdirectly through the pipe 7 before carbonization of or other injury tothe apparatus can ensue.

If no by-pass were provided, the Water in the boiler 2 would disappearand be consumed in the generator completely before the valve 9 couldreopen and allow more water to flow into the boiler; because as 1on asany steam remains in the generator it will act to hold the valve 9 tightupon its seat in the casing 8. When the steam is all gone, and theboiler quite empty, the valve 9 will open, and the water will once moreflow into the boiler. But before the valve 9 could reopen under thecircumstances outlined, the oil flowing intothe generator would begin tochar and carbonize, because of the lack of Water and steam, and thewhole generator would smoke and become foul with soot. With the by-pass14 provided, however, water will continue to flow into the boiler 2,even when the back pressure of the steam shuts the valve 9, insufficient volume to enable the production of gas to continue and theformation of carbon and soot to be absolutely prevented. On the otherhand, if the check valve 9 were omitted, the by-pass would not furnishenough Water as is required for proper operation, against the backpressure of the steam against the infiowing water. I- have found by longexperiment that the valve and by-pass together must be employed, theformer to furnish water insufiicient volume; and the latter to preventthe inflow of water from being entirely cut off and interrupted longenough toallow the oil to be burnt without combining with the steam toreduce as.

The valve and y-pass t erefore constitute means for maintaining andproperly regulating the sup ly of water, the former acting as a means orcutting ed the greater part of the inflow when the back pressure shutsit; and the latter as a means for then preventing'the suspension of thewater sup ply altogether.

It is found that the amount of gas which can be generated by theapparatus and in accOIdanCe with the method above described is in excessof that required in order to producethe necessary heat to carry on theprocess and maintain the generator in operation, and the surplus gasmay, if desired, be conducted away through a pipe, as 45, to be utilizedfor any desired purpose, as illuminating orheating. or the wholequantity of gas generated can be burnt at the openings 6. The boiler 2and the casings may rest upon supports 28 in the pan l, and the pipe 27and each of the casings may have a removable screw plug 29 in its rearend to give access to thechambers' 20 and 21 for cleaning and forconvenience in casting, when being manufactured. The hole for the oilpipe 5 is indicated at 30 in Figure 3; and in Figure 1 I show a draincock 31 for the by-pass 14, to drain water from the system and preventfreezing when not in use.

The generator above described is intended for heaters and particularlystoves with approximately squarev fireboxes. It can be made of smallsize, and is intended for use with refined oil in its operation. For astove or heater having a round firebox, the generator and burner shownin Figures 4 and 5 is employed. This modification is similar to the formillustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 3, and works upon the same principle,except that the lowermost casing 25 is omitted; and the threaded nipple17 constituting the outlet of the casing 24 is joined to a coupling 32,which connects the casing 24 to a single turn of pipe 33, which curlsaround the back of the generator and returns and is joined in front tothe burner pipe 27 b a coupling 34. Thisturn of pipe quite nicely. eoil, the generator is preferably enables t e generator to fit a roundfirebox For ,cru so constructed that the steam and oil mix before theoil enters the generator. A generator and burner of this character isillustrated in Figures 6, 7, 8 and 9. It is designed for use in afurnace for a heating or power plant. From the top of the boiler 2extends an outlet pipe 35, which is united by a T-coupling 36 to'the oilpipe 5 just outside of where the latter enters a casing 37.

This casing is like the casing 18 above mentioned. It'has a longitudinalpartition 19, making a rearward extending passage 20 and a forwardextending passage 21. Nealits front, in one side, is an internallythreaded boss 17 providing an outlet for the passage 21, and a shortlength of pipe 38 connects'thls boss with a similar boss 17 at the sideof a casing 39, in front. This casing 39 is like the casing 37, havingpartition 19 and chambers 20' and 21; and it 18 joined in front to theside of a U-shaped pipe or casing 40. This pipe extends rearward fromits point of connection with the casing 39, then downward and forward,and is joined at its lower front end to a pipe 41 leading to a burnerpipe 27 at one side of the pan 1, below the boiler 2. This pipe 41 mayalso include a T-coupling 42, to connect to it another burner pipe 27 atthe middle of the pan 1, and a third burner pipe may be provided at theother side of the pan if needed. The pipe or casing 40 rests on one sideof the pan, and the boiler rests on a support 43.

The operation of this generator is the same as that of the onespreviously described.

First a mixture of oil vapor and steam is' produced, and this isconverted into a gas and throughly dried in the casings or superheaters37, 39 and 40.

To start any of these generators one opens the valve 5, which ispreferably constructed to be opened by pressure, allowing sufiicient oilto run into the pan to cover the bottom. Then a lighted match is droppedinto the oil and it is thus ignited. Within four or five minutes thevalve in the pipe 5 is opened. While the oil in the bottom of the pan isburning, steam is produced in the water boiler and vaporizes the oil asit enters the generator through the pipe 5. The pipe 5 is not shown inFigures 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9, but its presence will be understood. For

"these two burners also I may utilize U- shaped pipes, instead of thecasings with partitions 19.

In the construction illustrated in Figures 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15,the tray 1 supports the boiler 2 along one side. This boiler is suppliedwith water from a tank 3 enclosing a float chamber, and steam generatedin this boiler will be conducted through a pipe 44, leading from theback of the boiler forward along the top, to mix with a ,quantity of oilsupplied through a pipe or conduit 5. The steam and the oil vapor arethroughly mixed, the action of thesteam being to raise the oil to theboiling point before it is delivered by the pipe 5, so as to transformthe oil into a vapor; and this mixture of steam and vapor is afterwardssubjected to the action of sufficient heat to raise it to such a-temperature as will cause the formation of a true as as before. The gasthus produced is then ed to a perforated pipe 27, extending along thebottom of the tray 1 and having a suitable number (one or more ofburners 6. Part of the gas is consumed t these burners and the heatthereof continues the generation of the steam in the boiler 2 and thevapori'zation of oil in the pipe 5, and thereby maintains the generatorand burner in operation. The remainder of the gas can be burnt at theopenings 6, or can be conducted 1,4es,roe a away through a pipe lineindicated diagrammatlcally at 45 to be utilized at any place where thereis need of the same. pipe can be employed with any one of the precedinggenerators. The water flows from the tank or feed device 3 to the boiler2 through a pipe 7 which contains a valve casing 8, having a web orpartition 46, part of which is horizontal; and this horizontal part hasan aperture therethrough whose edge serves as a seat for a ball checkvalve 47 The device 3 is kept filled by means of a pipe 10 entering thesame through the top and engaged at its lower end by a valve 48 carriedby a lever 490 pivoted at 491 to the side of the casing of the tank 3and actuated by means of a float 49. The pipe 10 may be in constantcommunication with the source from which the water is furnished; and thedevice 3 will be kept filled to a constant level. Whenever the water inthe device drops below this level, the float 49 will open the valve 48to allow water to fiow in; and as soon as the predetermined level isrestored, the float 49 will actuate the valve 48 to close the pipe 10,and thus interrupt the inflow of water.

The discharge end of the pipe or casing 44 is-connected to a U-shapedcasing 50, into one end of which the liquid fuel pipe 5 delivers. Thesteam enters one end of this casing 50 from the side and the pipe 5extends into the casing 50 a considerable distance ast the mouth of thepipe 44 jmaking with t e inside of the casing 50 an annular space inwhich the steam may circulate. This casing 50 serves also as asuperheater; and steam flowing therein past the discharge end of thepipe 5 not only assists the inflow of the oil or other liquid fuel by akind of.

'aspirating action, but also serves to start the vaporizing of the oileven before itreaches the inner end of the pipe, and diffuses theoil'vapor after it leaves the same; thereby making a vaporous mixture.This mixture flows through the other or superheating arm of the casing50 into a similar casing or superheater 51, out of which it is deliveredto the burner or burners 6 in the ipe .27 in the form of a, gas aspreviously described.

I prefer to arrange the superheater 50 so that it lies horizontally insubstantially central position above the tray 1; and the U- shapedsuperheater 51 so that it is mounted in vertical position along the edgeof the tray opposite the boiler 2. Both the super heaters will have thebends therein at the ends of the tray 1 which is remote from the endentered by the pipe-5; and the ends of the superheater 51 may be held inproper relation by means of a spacing member 52, which, of course, willnot communicate with the inside of this superheater. From the A similarlower arm of the superheatcr 51 adjacent the tank 3 extends the deliveryconduit 53; this pipe inclining downward into the bottom of the traywhere it .is connected with the central burner pipe 27 on which theburners 6 are carried. Each burner, when more than one is employed, willpreferably have a valve manipulated by a stem 54 which extends outwardthrough one side of the tray 1 and provided with an operating head 54.The steam pipe 44, the superheater 50 and the upper arm of thesuperheater 51 will thus be at the same level above the tray 1; andabove the parts just named I mount a perforated spreader plate-55 of thesame length as the tray 1 and having its longitudinal edges bentslightly downward. The constltuent parts of my generator are thereforevery compactly arranged and very advantageously located; and I am ableto build generators of relatively large capacity and output incomparatively small sizes. The spreader plate 55 may also be employed onthe three other generators set forth.

The complete operation of the generator shown in Figures 10-16 inclusiveis thesame as that of the preceding ones. The greater portion of the gascan be conducted away through the pipe 45 to places where the same isneeded for use, for example, to be burnt for lighting as indicated at 56or utilized for any other purpose. The boiler 2 will, if desired, havea' safety valve 57, and so may the boilers of the generators alreadydescribed herein.

By extending the pipe 5 a considerable distance into the vaporizingchamber of the casing 50 the pressure of the steam from the pipe 44 ismade to assist instead of obstruct the entrance of the oil. Instead ofrunning the pipe 5 into the superheater 50 past the mouth of the pipe 44I may provide a longitudinal partition or web 58 which shields orscreens the mouth of the pipe 44, in the superheater 50 as indicated inFigures 14 and 15. This web will divide the end of one arm of thesuperheater 50 into two longitudinal passages, one' of which receivessteam and the other oil from the liquid fuel pipe. This arrangementworks even better than that shown in Figure 11. It is desirable toemphasize the fact that the steam from the pipe 44 heats the pipe 5 orpartition 58 to such a point that the oil starts to boil before it getsto the inner end of .the same, and when it is actually delivered intothe superheater proper the oil is already in the form of a vapor, thatcan be more readily diffused by the steam, and superheated afterwards,with the steam, to the required degree.

The object of the spreader plate 55 on the top of the generator is toprevent too rapid radiation and distribution from the burners 6, andthereby insure a suficiently high temperature in the superheaters 50 and1 to produce a gas having the characteristics above noted. I provide theend of the lower arm of the superheater 51 with a plug 59, and byremoving this plug I can pour into the pipe 53 a sufiicient quantityofalcohol, gasoline or the like to fill the pipe 27 and thus enable theburners 6 to be operated until the steam in the boiler 2 begins to flowthrough the pipe 44 and starts the generator and burner into regularaction, or I can employ a primer pipe 5 with valve 5 as in F igure' 1.The pipe 5 will, of course, be provided with a valve so that the flow ofoil through the same can be regulated, according to the amount of firerequired; and this valve is also inserted in the pipe 5 of the threepreceding generators.

Any of the generators last described may be started in a manner, similarto that above explained in connection with the form shown in Figures 1to 3, namely, by the combustion of a priming charge of oil or other fuelsupplied to the pan 1 byany suitable means which it has not been thoughtnecessary to show in detail, but which ma be similar to the pipe- 5 andvalve 5", igure 1.

The gas produced by my generator I find to be a practically fixed anddry combustible gas adapted for heating, lighting and other purposes. Inthe practice of my invention the generator will give off a good deal ofheatwhile the gas is being produced; and it therefore may beconveniently operated in the fireboxes of furnaces, stoves and ranges,where it will provide any desired degree of heat for any length oftimecontinuously without requiring any supervision or attendance and withoutproducing smoke, soot, odor, ashes, dust, or carbon deposit of any kind.It may also be put in the fireplaces of dwellings and the fireboxes ofboilers and engines.

described In the practice of my invention above, a true gas is obtalnedby reason of the factthat the oil is'vaporized, and then mixed with thesteam and subjected to the action of a high degree of heat (as much as1000 to 2500 degrees F.) in the superheaters or casings between theboiler and the jet openings 6. This heat is sufliciently intense and thelength of the superheater passages traversed by the mixed steam and oilvapor sufficiently great (in proportion to the length re uired merel tovaporize the oil and mix it e same wit the steam) to cause a chemicalreaction to take place between said steam and vapor, the elements ofwhich combine to form a new product comprising a fixed non-poisonousgas' of high calorific value. If a sample of this gas be drawn off atoneof the openings 6 and stored away in a sealed bottle, it is found thatno appreciable amount of moisture. will ever condense on the inside ofthe bottle; and if the memos bottle be opened after several days, thecontents can be ignited at once. Moreover, it is found that the gas inquestion may be inhaled freely without injurious effects. Furthermore,the cost of producing this gas is extremely low, as the amount of thegas generated and the heat produced by the combustion thereof arerelatively high in proportion to the amount of fuel consumed, ascompared with other vaporizing oil burners heretofore in use.

About 16,000 cubic feet of gas can be obtained from 2 cubic feet ofwater and 1 cubic foot of oil.

The boiler 2 may be double in shape, round, oval, or half round, and bemade of iron pipe, brass, copper or cast iron. The superheaters 15, 18,22, 23, 24, 25, 37, 39, 40, 50 and 51 may be continuous pipe bent in anypreferred form in one coil zigza or like one or more figures 8, side bysi e or superposed, so long as the total length of .piping will enablethe steam and oil vapor to intermingle and become thoroughly superheatedtill it becomes a dry, permanent gas.

The method disclosed in the foregoing specification, and the gasproduced thereby, are not claimed herein, being covered by the claims ofanother application filed April 29, 1920, Serial Tic/377,497.

Having described my invention, what I believe to be new and desire toprotect by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A gas generator and burner comprising a boiler, a liquid fuelvaporizin chamber communicating with said boi er and into which steam isdelivered, means for regulating the supply of water to said boiler inaccordance with the pressure of steam generated therein, said meanscomprising an inwardly opening check-valve and a by-pass around saidcheck valve, means for supplying liquid hydrocarbon fuel to saidvaporizing chamber and in which chamber the steam and va orizedhydrocarbon are mixed, a super eating chamber into which the mixture ofsteam and hydrocarbon passes, and a-burner to which the superheatedmixture is delivered.

2. A gas generator and burner com rising a boiler, a iquid fuelvaporizing c amber communicating with said boiler and into which steamis delivered, means for regulating the supply of water to said boiler inIll accordance with thepressure of steam generated therein, said meanscom rising an inwardly opening check-valve an a by-pass around saidcheck valve, means for supplyiii III

, into which steam is delivered, means for supplying liquid hydrocarbonfuel to said.

vaporizing chamber and in which chamber the steam and vaporizedhydrocarbon are mixed, a plurality of superheaters connected with oneanother in series and the first of which communicates with the saidvaporizing chamber, and a burner to which the superheated mixture isdelivered, said superheaters having partitions providing twocommunicating chambers for each element thereof.

4. A gas generator and burnercompris a pipe leading from said boiler andhaving a delivery end communicatin with sai superheater; a pipe for suppying oil to the super-heater and having a delivery end communicatingtherewith adjacent the delivery end of said first-named pipe; apartition separating the delivery ends of said pipes and extending aconsiderable distance into the superheater: a vertical U-shapedsuper-heater communicating with the first superheater, and supported atthe other side of the basin: and a burner pipe leading from the verticalsuperheater and disposed centrally of the basin in operative relation tothe superheaters and the boiler.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification this23 day of March, 1920.

SAMUEL BIDDISON.

